Mr. Stephan shares that Music Appreciation students recently completed a study of the birth of Hip-Hop in the South Bronx, and were asked to compose a historically accurate original verse for Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five's song "The Message". Here are some excerpts of student verses, best enjoyed while listening to the background music of "The Message". (photo credit: Photograph: Jamel Shabazz)
Think you're so upright, but you only spread terror.
Ripped down cabinet doors, slashed sofas, shattered mirrors.
The same ol' story, same ol' bias.
Police defenders ain't nothin but a crisis.
Creepin' down Harlem, I can still smell the ashes,
And see the blood dotted sidewalk, from all the clashes.
Right up here, a life was taken with no rue,
Our community's shaken, we'll make you pay your due.
This vicious cycle, when will it end?
The day it does would be a godsend.
–Lyrics by Phoebe Zheng
the race riots started in Harlem, rippling through American cities like a wildfire
we just avenging the death of a 15 year old, caught in the crossfire
they are getting too violent though
with arson, breaking windows, stealing precious cargo
we may be going at it wrong but we are just tired of it
All the hate, the police brutality, why can't we throw a fit
why don't the police care about us, what's wrong
What's it gonna take for us to belong? should we just sing our swan song?
in ‘66, New York was left at a standstill
buses and subways on strike, we need help, Capitol Hill
trains screech to a stop, city buses grinder to a halt
Can someone tell me who is at fault?
–Lyrics by Rahma Abdallah
